This invention relates to certain substituted benzenesulfonylazides (I) and processes for their preparation. ##STR2## The compounds are useful as a diazo transfer reagent, for examples: ##STR3## wherein R and R' are, inter alia, alkyl, aryl, cycloalkyl, heterocyclic, aralkyl, lower alkoxy, and alkylthio; ##STR4## A particularly preferred embodiment of I is p-dodecylbenzenesulfonylazide (R.degree.=CH.sub.3 (CH.sub.2).sub.11 --); ##STR5##
As a diazo transfer reagent, I compares favorably in reaction efficiency with conventionally known diazo transfer reagents but I offers a safety advantage--shock stability and nonexplosiveness. This contrasts with certain azide diazo transfer reagents that are shock sensitive and explosive. In fact, the popular diazo transfer reagent p-tosylazide has the explosive power and shock sensitivity of TNT.